How the Biblical Canon Was Formed

Summary

The Bible, a compilation of books held in high regard by Jewish and Christian communities, has varied over time and among denominations. The Jewish Bible, known as the Tanakh, consists of the Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim. Christians have the Old and New Testaments, with the latter being universally accepted across traditions. The Old Testament, however, differs in content and organization among Protestants, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox Christians. The formation of the Bible reflects a historical process of composition, circulation, collection, and canonization, with the New Testament solidifying in the late 300s and the Old Testament variations predating Christianity.

Takeaways

• 📖 The Bible is a 'book of books,' historically experienced as a collection of multiple volumes or scrolls.
• 📚 Different versions of the Bible exist today, with variations in the number of books they contain.
• 📜 The Bible is a collection of books that Jewish and Christian communities consider uniquely authoritative.
• 🕍 The Jewish Bible, known as the Tanakh, is divided into three parts: Torah, Nevi'im, and Ketuvim.
• ✝️ The Christian Bible consists of the Old Testament and New Testament, with differences in the Old Testament across Christian traditions.
• 🤝 Most Christian traditions agree on the 27 books of the New Testament, but there is disagreement about the Old Testament's contents.
• ⏳ The process of finalizing the Bible involved stages of composition, circulation, collection, and canonization.
• 📅 The New Testament was officially finalized between the 1st and 4th centuries CE.
• 🏛️ The Jewish Tanakh became finalized at different times, with the Torah and Prophets being established by the 2nd century BCE.
• 🕊️ The differences in Christian Bibles' Old Testament books are linked to variations in Jewish traditions before Christianity emerged.

Q & A

What is the significance of the Bible being referred to as a 'book of books'?

The Bible is referred to as a 'book of books' because historically, it was often encountered as a collection of multiple volumes or scrolls, rather than a single book, reflecting its compilation of various texts into one authoritative collection.

What is meant by 'the' Bible when it is not always the same across different traditions?

When referring to 'the' Bible, it means the full collection of books that Jewish and Christian communities have historically accepted as uniquely authoritative, which may vary slightly in content between different religious traditions.

What are the three collections that make up the Jewish Bible, known as the Tanakh?

The Jewish Bible, or Tanakh, is composed of three collections: the Torah (Law), the Nevi'im (Prophets), and the Ketuvim (Writings).

How does the Christian Bible's structure differ from the Jewish Tanakh?

The Christian Bible differs from the Jewish Tanakh by including two major collections: the Old Testament, which is similar to the Tanakh, and the New Testament, which contains books unique to Christianity.

Why do major Christian traditions agree on the number of books in the New Testament but not in the Old Testament?

Major Christian traditions agree on the number of books in the New Testament because the process of canonization for it was established before the divisions between these traditions. However, the Old Testament canonization process occurred at different times for different Christian groups, leading to variations in the number of books included.

How many books does the New Testament contain according to most Christian traditions?

Most Christian traditions agree that the New Testament contains twenty-seven books.

What is the difference between the Old Testament in Protestant and Roman Catholic Bibles?

The Protestant Old Testament matches the Jewish Tanakh in content but differs in organization, while the Roman Catholic Old Testament contains additional books beyond those found in the Protestant Bible.

Why do the Eastern Orthodox Christians have more books in their Old Testaments compared to other Christian traditions?

Eastern Orthodox Christians have more books in their Old Testaments because their canonization process included a broader selection of texts, reflecting the diverse and inclusive nature of early Christian scripture usage.

What are the three basic stages that each book in the Bible went through to become part of the canon?

Each book in the Bible went through three stages: composition, circulation and usage, and finally confirmation as part of a closed canon when the community agreed no more books should be added or removed.

How does the process of forming the Jewish Tanakh compare to the formation of the Christian Bible?

The process of forming the Jewish Tanakh is similar to the formation of the Christian Bible in that both involved the selection and canonization of texts. However, the timing of these processes differed, with the Tanakh's formation occurring earlier and being more closely tied to the establishment of the Torah and Prophets.

What historical event contributed to the differences in the Old Testament between Christian Bibles today?

The destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans contributed to the differences in the Old Testament between Christian Bibles today, as it marked a period of change and division within Judaism, out of which Christianity emerged as a separate movement.